Dispensing attachment for food container cans



y 1953 s. M. BRIGGS DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR FOOD CONTAINER CANS Filed Oct. 12, 1951 ATTORNEY.

Patented May 12, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPENSING ATTACHMENT FOR FOOD CONTAINER CANS This invention relates to measuring dispensers. Its general object is to provide a dispensing attachment for canned goods such as, for example, cofiee; adapted to be attached to a can in a manner to provide a pouring spout for dispensing the contents without removing the lid of the can; and having means for measuring the quantity of material poured from the can.

A more specific object is to provide a dispensing device having means to perforate the can as the device is being attached to a can, and having a pouring spout which communicates with theinterior of the can through the perforation thus made, and having means to latch itself to the can so as to avoid accidental removal when the can is being handled.

A further object is to provide a dispensing device having a pouring spout and a cap therefor, the cap functioning, in the use of the device, to measure the quantity of material dispensed from the can and functioning, when the device is not in use, to seal the can against the entry of air, thus preserving the contents from deterioration. A further object is to provide a dispensing attachment for cans, having, in connection with a perforating device communicating with a pouring spout, a means for hermetically sealingthe same to the can.

A further object is to provide a device which, in addition to the characteristics specified above, is adapted to be attached to a can in full operative condition, by a very simple operation which can be executed almost instantaneously, i. e., in not more than two seconds of time.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a coffee can with my improved dispensing device attached thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating the attachment .of the device to the can;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device with cap removed;

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the device;

-having a rim flange 8 which projects outwardly. 7

Claims. (01. 2z2- 90) My dispensing attachment, indicated generally through spout I2.

at B, embodies a lever!) which has a flat web portion l0, relatively wide at one end and narrow at the other (handle) end and has a marginal reinforcing flange ll extending entirely around the handle end and along both sides, but terminates at the wide end, so as to leave that end open.

A pouring spout I2 has a flat, radially outwardly projecting rim flange l3 which is secured to the upper side of web It! by rivets l4.. Spout l2 has a frusto-conical lip l5 defining a reduced pouring outlet.

Normally attached to spout I2 is a cap l6, of cup shape and functioning alternatively as a closure and as a measure for the coffee dispensed The capacity of cap I 6 is such as to provide a measure for a conventional unit portion'of the can contents (e. g., it may correspond to the measure of dry ground coffee required for a single cup of brewed coffee). Cap

16 adheres to spout l2 by frictional engagement therewith, and completely receives, conceals and seals the spout'when attached thereto.

A can piercing blade I! is integrally formed with an arm l8 which is attached to the under.- side of web Ill by rivets M. The end of arm [8 projects from the open end of lever 9 and is formed with a down-turned hook I9 adapted to engage around can lid flange 8' to provide a fulcrum for the lever in a can piercing operation.

A latch 20 is integrally formed with an arm 2| which is secured to the underside of web H! by a rivet I4, in a position diametrically opposed to blade l'l.

Web I0 has a D-shaped opening therein, defined on three sides by a U-shaped flange 22, the fourth side being straight and unflanged, and registering with the inner face of blade IT. The lever opening is coaxial with spout l2. Latch 20 and blade ll are disposed at diametrically opposite sides of the opening.

The lever 9 is sealed to can lid 8 by a gasket 23 which is trained around the base of spout I2, i. e., around flange 22 and blade 11, being therefore D-shaped to correspond to the shape of the lever opening. Normally gasket 23 has an axial dimension exceeding its radial thickness, but when the lever 9 is latched to the can lid, the gasket will be compressed to an axial thickness about half its normal axial dimension, and will be extruded into all corners, depressions and cracks between the can lid and the lever in the area immediately surrounding the opening, whereby to hermetically seal the lever to the can lid. Ac-

cordingly, when cap H5 is attached to the spout, the can will be sealed to protect the coffee therein against atmospheric deterioration. Gasket 23 is of soft rubber or equivalent plastic material.

In the operation of the device, it may be attached virtually instantaneously to a can by hocking hook is over flange 8', with the lever 9 inclined upwardly from the can lid sufiiciently so that the point of blade ll may clear the lid 8. The lever is then pressed downwardly toward the lid, pivoting on flange it at hook l9, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Fig. illustrates the initial piercing of the can lid the point of blade H. The lever 9 is then pressed quickly all the way down against the lid 8,. Since blade H is generally triangular, an aperture of roughly triangular shape will be formed as blade ll punches a tongue 24 of metal from the lid of the can downwardly into the can. Opposite the tongue 24, edges 2d of the aperture will define an obtuse angle. Latch 23, which is spoon shaped as shown, will be latched to the lid by engagement oi its opposite sides beneath the respective edges it as indicated in Fig. 5. Latch 2t is of spring metal so as. to yield as it slides downwardly past the edges E i, and is so disposed relative to blade ii, and, accordingly, relative toedges 2 that it will be sprung toward the center of the opening by engagement with edges 24, and will then spring back to the latching position in which it engages beneath the edges.

In dispensing material from the can, cap it is removed from spout l2 and contents of the can are poured into the cap, functioning as a measure.

Blade H is of such a length that its piercing point is spaced from book 19 the proper distance to position the remote edges 24' of the lid aperture substantially in register with the remote sides of spout l2 and the lever aperture. is accomplished by determining the length of blade ll such that the spacing of its point from hook it will be substantially the same dimension as the spacing of hook it from the remote side of the lever aperture as defined by flange 22, Since the blade is arranged substantially as a. continuation of the side of spout I; which is adia-cent to hook it, the lid aperture, when fully formed, will have its near side in substantial register with the near sides of the lever opening and of the spout it.

It maybe noted that in the downward swinging, attaching movement of the lever 9, the piercing point of blade I? will initially engage lid t at a point remote from the fulcrum axis of hook it, and that the line of intersection of blade ll with the plane of lid 8, will move progressively toward said fulcrum axis until, at the terminal position of piercing movement (in which lever B rests substantially flatly against the lid 8 and gasket it is fully compressed) the said line of intersection will have arrived at a position of substantial register with the near side of the lever opening. The blade being substantially flat, the lid aperture will thus have, roughly, the D- 'shape of the lever opening (though somewhat triangular as previously noted).

Fig. 5 illustrates a form of the invention in an earlier stage of development. Spout its is mounted in a band 25 which has an integral extension in the form of an arm 2-6 which is disposed in radially spaced, parallel relation to piercing blade Ila. Blade l'la may constitute an integral extension of spout l2a, both constructed from a length of tubing cut away on the bias to ietal it which is cut away by blade l'la.

shape blade il'c. Between a pair of ears 2T, integral with arm 26, one end of a lever 28 is pivoted on a rivet 29. Alatching jaw 3il, pivoted to arm by a rivet at, has teeth 32 to grip the lateral wall I of the can, when the jaw is oscillated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 6, thereby to latch the spout to the can lid in the terminal position of its can piercing movement. This is provided for by a link 33, pivoted to lever 28 by a rivet Bil, and pivoted to jaw as by a rivet 3'5.

A wedge 36 is attached to. spout i266, extending diametrically across the bore thereof, in a position to curl away from blade lie, the tongue of A cap inotshown) corresponding to cap 56, is attached tonozsle i260.

255 has change 23?), and a sealing gasket 23a, abutted against flange 2%, is arranged. to llll'lfilf-lOl'l in the some manner as gasket 23 of Fig l.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing device for attachment to a sealed food container can having a lid provided with radially outwardly extending marginal flange. for dispensing the contents of said can, comprising: a generally fiat lever having at one end a handle, having at its other end a downwardly projecting hook having an end portion projecting toward said. handle: for engagement beneath said flange to provide a fulcrum, at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lever, for downward swinging movement of the lever about an axis tangent to said flange, from starting position in which the lever is inclined upwardly, defining with. the lid a substantial dihedral. angle, to a terminal position in which the lever lies substantiaily flatly against the lid, said lever having, intermediate its ends a dispensing aperture; a pouring spout attached to the upper side of the lever, registering with said aperture, and with its xis substantially at right angles to the plane of the lever; a piercing blade attached to the underside of said lever, projecting downwardly therefrom, and arranged substantially as a continuation of that side of said spout which is adjacent said hook, and substantially parallel to said fulcrum axis, whereby during said downward swinging movement said blade, commencing at a point remote from said fulcrum axis and moving progressively toward said fulcrum axis, will pierce in said lid an opening having a generally V- shaped starting portion defined between diverging edges of said lid, said opening, when the lever is in said terminal position, substantially registering with said lever aperture, with said starting portion disposed at the side of said opening remote from said fulcrum axis; and a spring latch attached to and projecting downwardly from the underside of said lever in a position diametrically to said blade across said lever aperture, said latch including a narrowed resilient neck part and a head including laterally projecting parts for yielding latching engagement with said diverging edges within opposed sides of said lid opening at the apex of said starting portion, said latch being arranged to engage said lid edges in an intermediate stage of said downward movement, to spring toward said blade in passing said edges, and tothen yieldingly engage beneath said edges, whereby to latch the lever to the lid in said terminal position,

2. In a dispensing device for attachment to a sealed food container can having a lid provided with a radially outwardly extending end flange.

for dispensing the contents of said can, comprisingra generally flat lever having atlone end a handle, having at its other; end a downwardly hooked hook having an end portion projecting toward said handle for engagement beneath said flange toprovide a fulcrum for downward "swinging movement of the lever about an" axis tangent tosaid flange, from a starting position in which the lever is inclined upwardly, defining with the lida substantial dihedral angle, to a terminal position in which the lever lies substantially flatly againstthe lid, said lever having, intermediate its ends a dispensing aperture; a pouring spout attached to the upper side of the lever, registering withsai d aperture, and with its axis substantially at right angles to the plane of thev lever; a piercing blade attached to the underside of said lever, projecting downwardly therefrom, and arranged substantially as a continuation of that side. of. said spout which is adjacent said hook, and substantially parallel to said fulcrum axis, whereby during said downward swinging movement said blade will pierce in'said lid starting at 'a' point remote from said fulcrum axis and 'moving progressively toward said fulcrum axis, an

opening which, when the lever is in said terminal position, will substantially register with said lever aperture, with said starting point disposed at the side of said aperture remote from said fulcrum axis; and a spring latch attached to. and projecting downwardly from the underside of said lever in a position diametrically opposed to said blade across said lever aperture, for yielding latching engagement with the edges of the lid defining said lid opening adjacent said starting point, said latch being arranged to engage said lid edge in an intermediate stage of said downward movement, to spring toward said blade in passing said edge, and to then yieldingly engage beneath said edge, whereby to latch the lever to the lid in said terminal position, said blade and hook being integrally joined in an L-shaped, member having said hook as one arm thereof and having another arm on the end of which said blade is formed, said other arm being secured to the under side of said lever; said spout having a marginal, radially outwardly extending flange secured to the upper side of said lever; said latch being of spoon form and having an integral arm extending generally at right angles therefrom and secured to the under side of the lever, the means for securing said other arm of the blade and hook member, said latch arm, and said spout flange to the lever being a common securing means extending through said lever.

3. In a. dispensing device for attachment to a sealed food container can having a lid provided with a radially outwardly extending end flange,

for dispensing the contents of said can; a generally flat lever including a web and a marginal flange, said lever having a relatively wide portion at one end and a. relatively narrow portion, functioning as a handle, at its other end, with said marginal flange extending unbrokenly around the end'of said handle but interrupted across the end of said relatively wide portion to leave the web unflanged at said end; a combined piercing blade and flange engaging hook, integrally formed of sheet metal, separate from said lever, and of generally L-shape, including a flat web portion attached to the underside of said web, a hook portion formed integrally with one end of said web portion and projecting beyond said unflanged end of said web, and a blade extending generally at right angles to the other end of said web portion, said hook being engageable with said can flange to provide a fulcrum for downward swinging movement'of said lever about an axis tangent to said can flange, whereby to pierce in said lid a pouring opening; a pouring spout having a marginal flange engaged against the upper side 'of said web in the relatively wide portion thereof, 'and'projecting in the opposite direction from said blade; said web having'a pouring aperture coaxial with said spout; a latch element including a part engaged against the under side of said web diametrically across said aperture from said blade, and a'resilient latch finger projecting generally at right angles to said web, and engageable with the can lid to latch the device to the can lid with the lever in engagement with the can lid; common securing means attaching said spout flange, said web and said latch element together in sandwiched relation; and a gasket of compressible material secured to the underside of said lever and embracing said blade and latch element therewithin, said gasket being engageable with the can lid to seal the spout to the can.

4. In a dispensing device for attachment to a sealed food container can having 'a'lid provided with a radially outwardly extending end flange, for dispensing the contents of said can: a generally flat lever including a web and a marginal flange, said lever having a relatively wide portion at one end and a. relatively narrow portion, functioning as a handle, at its other end, with said marginal flange extending unbrokenly around the end of said handle but interrupted across the end of said relatively wide portion to leave the.

web unflanged at said end; a combined piercing blade and flange engaging hook, integrally formed of sheet metal, separate from said lever, and. of generally L-shape, including a flat web portion attached tothe underside of said web, a hook portion formed integrally with one end of said web portion and projecting beyond said unflanged end of said web, and a blade extending generally at right angles to the other end of said web portion, said hook engageable with said can flange to provide a fulcrum for downward swinging movement of said lever about an axis tangent to said can flange, whereby to pierce in said lid an opening having a triangular portion defined by edges which converge to an apex remote from the point of engagement of said can flange by said hook; a pouring spout having a marginal flange engaged against the upper side of said web in the relatively wide portion thereof, and

projecting in the opposite direction from said blade; said web having a pouring aperture coaxial with said spout; a latch element including a part engaged against the under side of said web diametrically across said aperture from said blade, and a resilient latch finger projecting generally at right angles to said web, engageable in said aperture and having a head defining laterally projecting parts engageable beneath said converging edges of said opening, to latch the device to the can lid with the lever in engagement with the can lid; common securing means attaching said spout flange, said web and said latch element together in sandwiched relation; and a gasket of compressible materid secured to the under side of said lever and embracing said blade and latch element therewithin, said gasket being engageable with the can lid to seal the spout to the can.

5. In a dispensing device for attachment to a sealed food container can having a lid provided with a. radially outwardly extending end flange,

for dispensing the contents of said can: a generally fiat lever having; one end portion provided with a pouring aperture; a combined piercin blade and flange engaging hook, including a web portion, a. hook portion formed integrally with one end of said web portion and disposed adjacent said one. end portion of the lever, and a bladeliormed integrally with and extending. genorally at right angles: to the other end of said web portion, said hook being engageable with said can flange to provide a fulcrum for downward swinging movement of said lever about an axis tangent to said can flange, whereby said blade portion will pierce in said lid a. pouring opening; a pouring spout. having a marginal flange errgaged against the upper side of said lever in the area thereof surrounding said aperture, and projecting in the opposite direction from said blade; a latch element including a part engaged against the: underside of said leverdiametrically across said aperture from said blade, and a resilient latch finger projecting generally at right angles to said lever and engageable with the can lid to: latch the device to. the can lid with the lever in engagement-with the can lid; common securing means STANLEY M. BRIGGS.

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